A thrilling read which kept me turning the pages, characters you care for and just brilliantly written. Great novel!!

I really love this series. So disappointed it is not in print asI have many customers who would love the series.

Julie Hall has an unusual profession finding dead bodies using dowsing rods. She has been on a semi-hiatus due to some undisclosed traumatic events in the last book, but I did not feel that I enjoyed this book any less for for jumping in on #3 in the series. Her FBI agent boyfriend, Garrett, begins acting very out of character after getting involved in a new case. Julie is left to her recovery on her own, or with her best friend Tracey, while she returns to searching for missing/dead. Then Garrett goes missing and Julie attempts to find him before it's too late. A fun read.

Schöner Schreibstil, aber die Story ist nicht immer ganz schlüssig und teils etwas an den Haaren herbei gezogen. Vielleicht wäre es hilfreich, die anderen Teil vorher zu lesen.

This was a fast paced mystery that I enjoyed very much . It featured new to me characters that I connected with.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book

I've really enjoyed the first two books in this series, and the third one did not disappoint. My favorite part of this series has been the characters, especially the Julie Hall character. Julie has her struggles due to the way she grew up and everything she has been through in the past several years, but still feels very real and relatable and hasn't let the bad in the world that she has faced head on warp her humanity. This third entry in the series continues her growth, as we see her use her strength to try to save the man she loves from danger.
I've also liked following along on the mysteries that Julie has helped solve, often with the help of her FBI boyfriend Garrett Pierce. Garrett has been very supportive and caring toward Julie, but occasionally he has almost seemed too perfect to me, which was one of the things that gave this book a unique feel from the two that came before, in that we get to see some of Garrett's flaws. The mystery was very fast paced and engaging, and I can't wait to read the next entry in the series!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a free copy of this book for my honest review.

A Grave Peril is the third book in Wendy Roberts’ Bodies of Evidence series featuring Julie Hall, a young woman with the unusual ability to locate dead bodies using a set of dowsing rods. I’ve been meaning to dip into this series ever since I read Lynn’s review of the first book, A Grave Calling, but haven’t managed to get round to it yet – so when I saw this book was available for review I decided to pick it up. A Grave Peril works fairly well as a standalone, as the author has included enough information about Julie’s backstory to fill in any gaps for a newbie, although I think I’d have benefitted from reading the earlier books in order to get a fuller picture of the events that have shaped her.

Julie Hall has been in a relationship with her FBI agent boyfriend Garrett Pierce for a couple of years, and they’ve recently bought a house together, a fixer-upper in a quiet neighbourhood near Seattle – which isn’t quiet enough for Julie’s liking, mostly because she grew up in an isolated environment and doesn’t like having neighbours. But… it’s a nice house and she’s starting to feel safe there; plus she knows her aversion to having people around is one of the many issues she needs to work on.

After the truly harrowing events of the last case she worked on (detailed in book two, A Grave Search), Julie is taking a break from her business – Divine Reunions – to recuperate, but lately has been feeling ansty about getting back to work. Her inbox is overflowing with requests for help finding the bodies of loved ones from people desperate for closure and to find and bury their dead, and Julie decides it’s time to ease herself back in. She’ll take on a request she received a few months back from a mother desperate to find the body of the son who went missing while out hiking in the forest near Spokane. Garrett – who has been away from home working a case for the last week – isn’t wild about the idea of Julie taking on this job without him there to support her, but she agrees to take a friend with her when she drives out to Hog Lake, and that eases his mind a little.

But just as Julie is starting to feel more like her old self and regain confidence in her dowsing ability, Garrett starts to act strangely. She knows he’s working a big case – although of course he can’t tell her about it – but when he makes it home, he’s snippy and distant, and although he tells her he’s been recused from the case (because he’d discovered his late wife’s brother was involved), the next day, he’s gone again and is back working it. Julie can see he’s rattled, but doesn’t want to add to his worries by asking too many questions; she agrees to take on another job – this time searching for the body of an eight-year-old girl – but becomes uneasy when she doesn’t hear from Garrett. It’s unlike him not to text or call once a day, even if it’s just a brief ‘I’m fine’ or ‘I love you’; he doesn’t answer her calls or texts, and days later, after finding a message from him telling her to “trust no-one” Julie’s worries multiply. She starts to think that he’s in over his head and decides to try to find him herself, even though it means putting herself in danger – as that’s what he’d do for her if the situation were reversed.

From reading reviews of the earlier books, I gather that this storyline is a bit of a departure because it focuses more on Julie and her relationship with Garrett than on her working on her dowsing cases. Not having read those (yet), I can’t make comparisons; but I can say that I enjoyed this book for what it was, and found it a fairly absorbing read. Julie is clearly battling some very difficult problems – alcoholism for one – and suffers PTSD as the result of an abusive upbringing; she’s a loner who struggles to form relationships, or rather, shies away from them because her past has taught her, over and over, that the only one she can rely on is herself. Falling in love with and learning to trust Garrett (who is, incidentally, over twenty years her senior) are huge steps forward for her, but she fights every day to stop herself retreating into her protective shell. Garrett’s erratic behaviour would be hurtful for anyone on the receiving end, but for Julie, it’s a knock to the fragile new reality she’s attempting to construct for herself – and it’s a testament to her strength and resilience that she doesn’t just fall apart or retreat to the bottom of a bottle.

Even though Garrett is absent for a large part of the book, the author does a good job of showing the strengths – and weaknesses – of their relationship through Julie’s thoughts and actions. The fact that she wants to save him from whatever mess he’s got into speaks to the depth of her love for him, as his desperation to keep her safe and out of it speaks to his; but Julie’s trust is shaken, especially by some of the things he says to her (out of fear and frustration it’s true, but still) near the end, and she starts to wonder if maybe love isn’t enough.

There are only a handful of secondary characters in the book, and the standout is Tracey, Julie’s only real friend – the only person she’s let get close enough to attempt a friendship anyway – a pink-haired, quirky young woman who struggles with health issues (she has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome) but who is there for Julie and helps buoy her up when things look bleak.

I enjoyed the book overall, although the climactic showdown was a teeny bit… well, anticlimactic, and I can’t say I found Garrett all that appealing. But then this was my first time reading about him – and he doesn’t get much page time – and judging from Lynn’s review, he makes a better showing in the earlier books. Still, A Grave Peril gets a mostly thumbs-up for its unusual premise and prickly, complex heroine – I’m definitely planning to read more in this series.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
M/F Thriller

This is the third book in the series, but I don't believe it's necessary to read them in order. I somehow missed book two, but was able to jump right in to book three.

Julie is back at it again. But with her boyfriend acting strange and her just getting back at finding the dead, Julie isn't quite sure which way is up.

Rather than despair too much, she knows that she has to try to help Garrett. Knowing that the cartel is part of this doesn't deter Julie at all. Plus, with her new neighbors acting strange and the clues piling up, Julie sets out to find him with the help of his dead wife.

This story sweeps you up and doesn't let you down until the end. It's a guessing game of who to trust and what's really at stake. It was very entertaining and I loved each twist and turn. Roberts kept you guessing and while I was able to figure most of the mystery out, it was still incredibly fun to read.

We are on the third book in this series, and I think this is the best one so far. Normally, I read just mystery or fantasy books with a paranormal element in them. I started this series because of the way the protagonist finds dead people by dowsing. However, with this third book, the paranormal element has taken a backseat to the rest of the story. And, that’s just great, because I couldn’t put this book down. Julie is still in a very dark place, and when Garrett disappears, she must find him while keeping her demons (metaphoric, not literal as it’s not that kind of paranormal book) at bay. Julie is really coming out of her shell, and I’m glad to see her letting people in her life. Maybe very reluctantly, but she’s dealing with everything slowly but surely. I do admit to being a little upset with how Garrett treats her at the end, but I think he has issues he hasn’t dealt with either. I loved this book, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds for Julie, Garrett, Tracey, et. al. As an aside, I love Tracey; she’s helping Julie come out and enjoy life and maybe start leaving the pain behind. I highly recommend this book! I was provided the e-book which I voluntarily reviewed.

Julie is finally ready to get back into dowsing for bodies (yay!). She’s got a few good cases to get her feet wet, and she’s feeling pretty good about it. At the same time, her FBI boyfriend Garrett is in a bit of trouble. He was immediately removed from an important case and it leaves Julie suspicious. Turns out, the case involves Garrett’s ex-wife Faith’s brother and the drug cartel. Despite saying he’s off the case, Garrett goes missing a few times without leaving notes or having a phone for Julie to get in contact with him. She’s now more suspicious than ever. He’s even come home pretty beaten up and hasn’t mentioned a word in edge-wise as to how it happened. Is he trying to work the case himself? Is he in contact with his ex-brother-in-law? Was he ever really off the case? What does this all mean for Julie and Garrett’s relationship since the ex-wife’s family is back in the picture?

I think this was my favorite book of the series yet! If you liked Verity by Colleen Hoover, you will enjoy this book. The story line isn’t the same, but the writing and the suspense is similar (in a good and unique way). I read the entire book in one sitting, it’s that good. I was on the edge of my seat, biting my nails, trying to think of what Garrett was doing and what he was hiding from Julie. The great thing about this series is that you can jump in with any book and not feel lost. I really don’t like when I have to read a previous novel to feel caught up in a story. That’s not the case here. Yes, it helps to know where Julie’s past and how much she has grown since the first book, but it isn’t needed to enjoy this book. I could kind of guess where the mystery was heading mid-way through, but it didn’t keep me from loving the book. I can’t wait for book four!

5/5 Stars

Julie must find her boyfriend who is missing. Where is he? Why is he not answering at her text? This is a quick and alert read.
Thanks to Netgalley for this copy.

At the core of A Grave Peril is a decent mystery, but it wasn't quite what I expected. The focus of the story is more about Julie and Garrett's relationship than her abilities or Garrett's disappearance. We do get a bit of Julie's gift, and I really enjoyed those parts, that touch of the supernatural, and Julie seems to really be in her element during those times. That said, her incessant whining about everything was a huge turn off for me. Her worry over Garrett's lack of communication was one thing, but the rest only served to make her annoying and unlikable. She does have a fierce determination once she sets her mind to figuring out what's going with Garrett, but she has such a negative attitude that it's almost like she's two separate people. On the mystery side of things, the bad guys are a little too easy to suss out, but it was still interesting enough to keep my attention. There is a twist at the end with one character that I didn't see coming, but it also felt unnecessary. It just felt like extra baggage on an already unlikable character. As far as characters go, I did like Tracey. For a secondary character, she stands out with wit and an infectious enthusiasm. I also found myself liking and rooting for Garrett. He makes some bad decisions, but for the right reasons, and that is something most people can relate to. In the end, there were things I liked and things I didn't, leaving me somewhere in the fair to midland range with this one.

A Grave Peril by Wendy Roberts
Bodies of Evidence #3

Julie Hall and Garrett Pierce have moved in together by book three and though it seems Garrett may be interested in tying “the knot” Julie is not so sure she ever wants to marry or have a family. They have been a couple for awhile and seem to have a good relationship but as Garrett’s job with the FBI heats up, he is put on leave and then disappears one night...well...Julie is not sure what is going on. She begins to question the relationship and just where her partner may be. Then, she begins to worry.

Wanting to get her “toes wet” and try her hand at dowsing for the dead again after a longish cut she heads out with a friend and has success. She does a bit more looking for a few other bodies in this book but she also worries about Garrett and eventually starts looking for him following what she believes are clues to his whereabouts. With her friend Tracey along to help at times, a crazy cat and Wookie her rottweiler she deals with one problem after another as she tries to find out whether or not Garrett is alright.

This is book deals more with Julie’s search for Garrett and his FBI work than it does with finding the dead...although there is a bit of that, too. It will be interesting to see where the author goes with this series next...and I am eager to read book four when it is ready.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin-Carina Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

Once you get past Julie Hall’s (yes, she changed her name back) whining and histrionics, you can suss out an interesting , though twisty, kidnapping and murder involving her boyfriend FBI Agent Garrett Pierce and his need to help his ex-brother-in-law.

To be honest, I would have preferred her dowsing for bodies instead of tracking down her boyfriend in an overly dramatic way, but having to deal with what Wendy Roberts wrote, I trudged on to the end. Apparently, the drug cartel does not like it when people get in the way of a drug shipment and since they have gone to great lengths to guarantee that the authorities do not find the date of their new delivery, they are not going to tolerate a nosey girlfriend getting in the way.

Garrett had left messages and avoided all contact, but no, Julie cannot leave well enough alone and it is not until everyone’s life is in danger before the truth comes out and their relationship is left in tatters.

It is sad that when a series, which started out with such promise, has been reduced to my only liking the dog. Wendy Roberts -- grow this character up and bring her back to searching for bodies.

Wow! This series is heating up. Julie Hall is still healing from her last brush of danger. She is starting to think it may be time to start taking in new cases. So she starts weeding through her emails and picking an easy one. A missing hiker. With Garrett out on a case she turns to Tracey to help her.

Even though her first case back went smoothly, doesn’t mean her life is back on track. She still has major trust issues and those issues are made worse as Garrett starts displaying some odd behavior. He is keeping secrets and Julie is not liking it one bit.

Things start to get worse when Garrett disappears and leaving behind cryptic messages. “Trust no one”. With no one to turn to she begins to worry and takes on her own investigation into his disappearance. Things start heating up and danger lurks around every corner. Will Julie find Garrett, before someone turns up dead?

This book really focuses on the relationship between Garrett and Julie. It dives deep into it and shows all the cracks. Some of these cracks start to break open and Julie doesn’t know if love will be enough for them. She shows her vulnerability more in this book. All the healing she has done is shown, but she still struggles with several things. Mainly TRUST. With everything that is going on with Garrett, the trust they have built is tested and on thin ice, full of several fissure cracks.

I really enjoy this series. Julie is a strong character. She has several issues and past horrors that make her the way she is, but yet she is stronger than most give her credit for. She doesn’t see this for herself, naturally. But her strength is there.

Wendy has created a unique story line with the Bodies of Evidence series. Her characters are strong and supportive. The cases are unique and full of twists to keep you guessing. I really love this series and can’t wait to see how our two lovebirds move past this.

If you love a bit of the unknown and unique paranormal with a twist of mystery and a dash of romance, then this series is for you. Please read them in order or you may not understand the characters without the back story. It is an excellent read and I guarantee you will enjoy it.

*ARC provided by Carina Press & Netgalley.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Carina Press for an advanced read in exchange for this review.
I love the Bodies of Evidence series. Julie Hall is a fascinating character. A Grave Peril follows Julie as she tries to solve a mystery involving her FBI Agent boyfriend Garrett when he disappears. While I found the story entertaining, I thought it took away from Julie and her body locating talents. She is the star of the series. I’m not really a fan of Garrett, but it was still a decent read. Would really like for the next book to focus more on Julie.

A Grave Peril by Wendy Roberts, this is a good mystery from a series, I had not read any of the others in this series and I would like to go and read the others so I could understand more about Julie's abused background but having said that, this definitely can and does stand on its own. Good mystery with Julie easing back into dowsing for dead bodies, her older boyfriend FBI SA Garrett, packs his bag and disappears leaving Julie behind to figure out what is going on with him and the case he had been removed from all the while trying to keep her alcoholic desire for drink tamped down and under control, throw in a little humor and you have yourself a great mystery! Thank you Netgalley and the Publishers for allowing me to read this ARC book and give my honest opinion, I do recommend picking this up and giving it a read!

In this third outing in the series Julie Hall is adjusting to being in a full time relationship, maintaining a friendship and getting back to accepting jobs to help locate deceased missing persons with her dowsing rods.

For a normal person those seem like simple everyday things. But for a woman with Julie's abusive childhood and her daily struggle to stay sober they are stress inducing. That stress is added to when her FBI live in boyfriend Garrett Pierce starts acting out of the normal and is being very secretive about his current case and is gone more than he is around. Because of his love for Julie he is trying to keep her as far away from the case he is working on not realizing that this sets of her insecurities and makes her want to dig in and find out what he is hiding. And when he goes missing Julie wont back down on finding her man.

Julie is on her own most of the book and even though the thought of having a drink comes up every time she get stressed she resists and is growing in her recovery both mentally and in her sobriety. There are plenty of humorous moments through out along the suspense that ramps up to edge of your seat peril.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and hope there are many more to come.

Where has Garrett gone? Why isn't he answering Julie's texts? Julie finds bodies (and drinks); Garrett is her FBI SA boyfriend. He's a lot older than she is but which one of them has the older soul? I read this as a standalone so unlike some other reviewers, I wasn't bothered by what I gather was the push to the background of Julie's dowsing for bodies. It's really about these two characters and their relationship, which was fine with me as an intro to the series. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This is a quick read (it's short) and you'll meet some interesting people.

Once again, Julie Hill finds the dead bodies of missing people using her dowsing rods to locate buried bones in this third installment of the Bodies of Evidence series.

Only this time, her supportive boyfriend, FBI Agent Garrett Pierce, gets sucked into an investigation involving his dead wife’s brother who is involved with a drug cartel.

While Julie does work on a couple of cases for her Divine Reunions business most of the book deals with Garrett’s problems on the case involving his brother-in-law. Citing a conflict of interest Garrett is taken off the case and put on leave. Ignoring orders to stay away Garrett digs in deeper and disappears into the case leaving Julie wondering what’s going on. And so, Julie spends her time trying to figure out what Garrett is doing.

A Grave Peril is a good mystery that provides insight into Garrett’s character but proves to be a little distracting since it reduces focus on Julie and her dead body finding exploits.